The Strongest of All
by Wild Growlithe
Summary: What if life in the Charicific valley where Ash left Charizard wasn't all it appeared to be?


Disclaimer: Wild Growlithe does not own pokemon. Or does she? Muwahahahahahaaa!

a/n: I decided to write another pokemon point of view since people liked my first one. This one's a little different, it's got more of a plot to it. It's from the view of a pokemon that I think was the absolute worst decision to release. If the summary didn't give it away, you'll find out who's POV it is soon enough.

The Strongest of All

Swish! I narrowly miss a swipe from my opponent. Not hesitating, I slash back. He dodges as well. Before I know it, he's caught me off guard and head-butted me in the stomach. I freeze for a moment. He runs at me, ready to finish me off. I wait for just the right moment....

__

Whoosh! My tail lashes out, knocking my startled opponent off his feet. He's on the ground and I'm standing over him. Now I may finally have a victory, finally prove myself. I open my mouth and release a powerful jet of flames directly at my opponent. That was my mistake. My flame was still not strong enough to harm him, and it gave him the time to get back on his feet. Once up, he lashed out with his claw again, this time hitting his mark. The force of the blow is so powerful that it knocks me off my feet. I struggle to get back up, but before I can I feel his tail coming down on my back, finishing the battle. To weak to continue fighting, I know I've lost. I've lost again. The other Charizard snorts in my direction and walks off.

Once I've finally gotten enough strength in my arms, I try to lift myself off the ground. It's a humiliating experience. I was never meant to go through this.... While still trying, I hear another snort directed towards me. I look up to see Liza and Charla staring down at me disapprovingly. I look back at them, trying not to show any sadness over my loss. Such feelings are a weakness, and weakness is not tolerated here.

"So, you lost again did you?" Liza says to me. There seems to be a faint tone of disgust in her voice. I turn my gaze to the ground, not saying a word. Liza shakes her head. "You'll never win a battle here if you don't learn." She says angrily. "If you want to be the best you can be, you'll need more than just a weak flamethrower and a show off attitude." I growl angrily. I want to protest. Since I've been accepted here, I've tried my hardest not to seem like I'm showing off. I'd been carefully studying my opponents and their strengths and weaknesses, trying to develop my own strategy. But it still didn't work. Liza isn't done speaking. "Or maybe you were just never meant to be strong. Some weaklings were born weak." With that, she and Charla walk off. Weakling? Me?

Later, I'm sitting under a tree, contemplating what's gone on. When I first came to the Charicific valley, I was shown a world of strong Charizard, all striving together to reach the same goal: To be the best they could be. That was a goal I wanted too, the main thing I wanted in life ever since I evolved. I wanted it so badly, and here seemed to be the perfect place to achieve my goal. They showed me a world of desire, only to humiliate me later and slam the door in my face. They made me suffer by constantly criticizing me, telling me that I wasn't good enough, and that I needed "More training." I hated it when someone told me I needed more training, it sounded like they were referring to some low-level Charmander when they said it. I was not weak. I was the only pokemon on my team who had fully evolved. I had defeated the powerful magmar of Blaine, stopped a powerful tank in its tracks, helped win the Orange League cup, held my own for a while against a powerful dragonite, and defeated several pokemon who I would have been considered "weak" against. Yet here was this girl and her charizard, saying over and over again that I needed more training. They were wrong! I would show them! I did show them that I was worthy enough, and they finally accepted me into their society. But now that I'm here, I've been further insulted, humiliated, and criticized.

This place is not what I had expected at all. Liza had told me and the others that Charizard had been living in peace here for so many years. Peace? The way of life here is far from peaceful. All of the Charizard here are constantly in competition with one another, always fighting. Not just battling, but truly fighting. Sometimes it seems that they're trying to kill their opponents. They shout insults at one another, their slashes and bites draw blood. I see a malicious look in their eyes as they prepare to battle. It seems that the way of life with the strongest Charizard here is to constantly eliminate competition until you are the single most powerful. That is not how it should be.

Even Liza herself was a deception. While she appeared to be a compassionate person, she is truly as malicious as the other Charizard in the valley. She enjoys watching the bloody battles they engage in, I've seen her smile while another Charizard was nearly torn apart. And while we're all down here training until it feels like we can't go on, she's up in her cave with Charla, watching TV and relaxing. On my first night here, I snuck up to her cave and peered in the window. She was talking with Charla.   
"Another addition to my collection, Charla. It's not as strong as I'd hoped, but it does seem to have potential." She laughed. I couldn't believe that she referred to me as an addition to her collection. She was supposed to be the one who kept us in order and helped us along. It seemed the only reason she wanted us here was because she wanted more powerful Charizard. Despite my anger in discovering this, I remained. This was still a place where I could grow to the greatest of my potential. And after time, I would show her that I definitely did not need more training.

Yet as I continue my life here, I'm simply beaten down by her and the other Charizard. And just like what had happened earlier today, as soon as I try to get back on my feet, I'm bashed back into the ground. The more they tell me I'm weak, the angrier I become. And the angrier I become, the more foolish mistakes I make in battle. It's a no win situation.

A while back I discovered an area of the valley where the weaker Charizard stay. They are like me, unable to match the strength of the others, and not given the chance to do so. They have been cast out from the society here, forced to live in a small area of the valley far from the strong Charizard, and completely forgotten by many. I met with them once, and only once, for being seen with them would mark me as weak forever. They told me their stories. They had all once had pride as great as mine. They believed that they were strong, and could take on any opponent. Then, their trainers had passed through here, and Liza found them. She did the same thing to them as she did to me, convincing the Charizard and their trainers through humiliation that they would be better off growing stronger with her. But it had only lead them to a life of misery, where they were outcast, tormented and insulted. Their pride had been destroyed, and what is a Charizard without his pride? I was determined not to end up like them.

Still, life here is so hard and unhappy that it makes me wonder if I would have been just as well off had I stayed with Ash. Ash......

I can still remember that boy who saved me from certain death, caused by another man who called me weak. Back then I didn't care about being stronger. All I cared about was helping Ash and the rest of my friends on our journey. Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Squirtle....I miss them now. Back then we were good friends, but I was merely a child. A child who wanted to please his trainer more than anything, whose innocence did not allow him to see the evils of the world. Perhaps I would have been better if I had remained a child. I would never have had the overwhelming desire to be strong. But when I did evolve, it was like being hit with a giant new life all at once. All at once I realized that I was no longer a child. I was on my way to growing up, nearly a full adult. I looked at Ash. He was still a child. He had little experience and depended on me for so much. I had more experience, knowledge, and strength than this little boy did, why should I listen to him anymore? I figured that he didn't deserve to be my master, and treated him horribly. I treated him like Liza treats me now. I now regret my actions deeply, I had nearly forgotten that he had saved my life.

But when he remained awake the entire night, putting himself through pain and great discomfort to save me, I started to remember what he had done for me in the past. I realized then that it shouldn't matter how much stronger I was than him, what should matter was that he was my friend, he had made me what I am now, and I owe him that much. I would never give him the repulsive display of affection that the other pokemon showed toward him, but I would be faithful to Ash, as his companion and pokemon.

Ash had always treated me with kindness. While I was fighting for my chance to get into the valley, he stood behind me all the way. While Liza constantly told me I was weak and inexperienced, he told me again and again that I was and always will be good enough for him, the perfect charizard for him. He allowed me to stay, sacrificing his own happiness for mine.

After staying here for a while, I began to regret my decision to leave him. I didn't think I'd see him again until I noticed him on Liza's TV one day. I could see that he was in trouble, and did not hesitate to help him. It felt great, having him command me again, even though I didn't really enjoy having him ride on me, and even though I got the crap beaten out of me by Entei, it was still great. Not only did I get the thrill of being back with Ash, but also the incredible thrill of battling one on one with the legendary Entei. When it was all over, I considered staying with Ash. But I remembered my vow to be the greatest I could be, and that vow drove me to leave Ash once again and return to that horrible valley. It is better to suffer and be strong than to be happy and remain weak.

When I returned to the valley after the battle with Entei, I noticed that Liza and the other Charizard were waiting for my return. They did not look happy.

"And just where have you been?" Liza asked me, anger flashing in her eyes. I did not answer. She had no right to know, though I would have loved telling her that I had been battling and holding my own against a legendary pokemon. "Not gonna talk, are you?" She asked. "You know the rules. No Charizard is to leave the Charicific valley without permission. Did you have permission?" I still gave no answer. This angered her further. "You did not have permission to leave the valley, but you did anyway. How do you ever expect to become stronger if you go off on little trips instead of training? No wonder you're so weak." That did it. I would not let her call me weak after all I had just gone through to help a friend. She was like someone from my past, someone who I was never good enough for, no matter how hard I tried. Damien. The thought of him brought out a rage in me. I opened my mouth to unleash a flamethrower at Liza. Before the flame could hit her, Charla stepped in the way. My flame had no effect on her. Liza was furious. "You were going to be punished for leaving the valley....now you will be punished for your disobedience...Charla!" She pointed a hateful finger at me and Charla attacked, followed by the rest of the Charizard. I was slashed, burned, and beaten. The worst part of all of it was that I was completely helpless to stop them. I had come back a hero, only to have my great feeling destroyed along with my body. It was a wonder I lived, or maybe they let me remain alive on purpose, so I could live with the horrible humiliation I suffered at their hands. The scar running across my snout will always be there to remind me that I was overpowered by them.......that I was too weak to fight them off...

***

No! I will not allow my spirit to be broken! Those memories torture me, but if there's one thing Ash has taught me, it's to never give up on your dreams, no matter how impossible they seem to be. In body I may be weaker than them, but in spirit I am strongest of all. They have all given in to Liza, accepted their place, whether weak or strong. I will not. I alone have gone against all of them, and suffered for it. But that suffering has made me strong. Now, sitting under a tree, recuperating after further humiliation, I realize that in spirit I am the strongest I can be. Many other pokemon would've broken under these circumstances, but I have not. And it was not Liza who taught me to be strong in this way, it was Ash. Ash is who I belong with, he is the one who will truly make me stronger, the best I can possibly be in every way. He can and he will, because he believes in me. I quietly drift off to sleep, knowing what I must do tomorrow......

***

Morning has come, and I rise with the sun. Fire burns in my eyes and my heart. Flying to the top of a mountain, I roar louder than I ever have before. It echoes throughout the valley. The other Charizard come out from their dens, including Liza and Charla. They all know what my roar meant. A challenge. Once I see that they've gathered, I fly down from the mountain. They all stand still in a circle around me, waiting for me to reveal the one who I will challenge. I glance at Liza. She is glaring at me. I know that she must think this will be nothing but a waste of time, a pathetic loss by the weak Charizard who won't give up. She is wrong. I turn to face her, and let a roar in the direction of Charla. Everyone is shocked. Charla is the undisputed ruler of the Charizard, the strongest of them all. How could I hope to win? I'll show them....

Charla looks as if she's uncertain about battling me. She almost looks like she'll refuse. But it's unheard of for a Charizard to turn down a challenge. She steps forward into the circle where I'm standing. I can tell by the look on her face that she thinks it will be a quick, easy battle. 

We stand, facing each other, staring each other down, not making a move. They know that the more inexperienced fighter will make the first move. I give them what they want and run at Charla. She swings her tail out to trip me, as I knew she would. I leap up in the air and deliver a kick to her snout. The other Charizard are surprised. I caught her off guard. Charla regains her senses and shoots a flamethrower at my feet. I jump into the air again, but this time she takes me off guard. She flies at me quicker than lightning, knocking me to the ground with tremendous force. Once I'm down, she rams into me again, sending me rolling several feet. I try to get up again, only to be knocked down by a swing of her tail, just like that other Charizard had done to me the previous day. The force of her attacks were great....I feel weak...my consciousness is fading.....NO! It won't end like this! I force myself to my feet and let out another ear-splitting roar. My tail flame doubles in size. I'm using an attack that I haven't used since I was with Ash: rage. I'll take all of my pain, my suffering, my anger, and turn it into power. Charla flies at me again and rams into my chest, but I refuse to be taken down. I remain on my feet, nails digging into the earth, and my rage builds. I lunge at Charla, she dodges and bashes the back of my head. I still remain standing and lunge again, rage building and building with each attack. While still attacking, I hear a voice.

"Why don't you just give it up, you weakling?" Liza shouts. "You'll never be as strong as Charla, and you'll never defeat her. Face it, you'll never amount to anything, why even try?"

Those words were enough to send my rage soaring. My angry roar tears through the valley, heard by everything within range. My tail flame now resembles that of a large bonfire. My eyes are glowing with fury as I attack. I take to the air and fly at Charla. She stands, bracing herself for a frontal attack. Before I reach her, I turn directly upward, flying in the direction of the sun. The brightness of the sun makes it impossible for Charla to see me, and I dive bomb her. Taken totally by surprise, Charla is knocked off her feet. She gets up and rushes at me, but I stop her attack and throw her back to the ground. I feel like an unstoppable force. Enraged, Charla gathers all of the firepower inside of her, and shoots a powerful flame at me. I quickly counter with my own. The two flames meet in the middle, each trying to overpower the other. It seems we are even. Liza shouts encouragement at Charla and her flame begins to overtake mine. I feel at a loss. I have no one to back me up. But I remember Ash. If he were here, he would be backing me up, telling me he believed in me, to never give up, and that I am strong enough to beat her. I imagine him there, and almost feel as if he were there, helping me along. I am filled with strength even greater than before, and the flame shoots out of my mouth with such a great force that it overtakes Charla's, engulfs her, and bursts into a giant fiery explosion. When the dust clears, I can see Charla on the ground, unconscious.

I have won.

Liza is looking at me with fear. "H-how could you possibly have beaten Charla?" She asks. "Impossible! A weakling like you could never have gotten such strength! You monster! You must be punished for your dishonorable acts. You really thought you'd prove anything by defeating Charla in an unfair fight?" She laughs at me. How dare she accuse me of cheating! I have just proven myself worthy by defeating the strongest Charizard in the valley, and I'm still not good enough for her! I look at her laughing face, and see Damien's face laughing at me as well. I've had it. I shoot a flamethrower at her like I had at Damien when I was still a Charmander. Just enough to turn her black and leave her knocked out for a bit. The other Charizard are all staring at me. They look at me, then to their fallen leaders. They all lift their heads into the air and roar together, declaring me as the strongest of all. I have finally achieved my goal. But only my goal here. I still know that I can be stronger, and I know the person who can help me to truly be the best that I can be. 

In an unexpected move, I spread my wings and take to the air. The other Charizard are watching me, confused, but dare not follow. I know where I am headed. I am going back to Ash. I don't know where he is, but I will find him. My home is with him and the rest of my friends. Now that I've proven that I am the strongest of all, I'm going back to where I belong. 

I'm coming home......

Well that was fun. I wrote it because I really don't think it was wise at all to leave Charizard with that snotty girl and her little charizard "collection." She was totally obnoxious, and it seemed like she was actually trying to persuade Ash to let her have Charizard by making it suffer like that. Another gripe I have about that episode is when that squinty @$$hole brock told Ash that using a Charizard is no fair. Puh-leez! Give me a break! Why the hell would Ash have worked so hard raising his little Charmander into a big strong Charizard only to have people tell him he shouldn't be allowed to use it? That "point" that brock made was utterly ridiculous if you think about it. That's like telling a pokemon that it shouldn't evolve because it's "unfair" to the unevolved pokemon. If you go through the work of raising a pokemon to let it evolve, than you sure as hell have the right to use it in battle! Sorry, but that statement pissed me off and I thought I'd complain about it here. To those of you who are still reading, let me know if you agree. Thanks again for reading, and I'll see ya soon!


End file.
